


Spread Sails and Burning Decks

by achievemenhunter



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-28
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-03-04 00:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2893319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/achievemenhunter/pseuds/achievemenhunter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My entry for the 2014 Ragehappy Secret Santa.</p><p>Prompt: A pirate AU (Gavin and Geoff set out on the high seas in search of adventure—Gavin—and booze—Geoff—, when they run into a shady looking pirate captain and his first mate at a bar. Ryan and Michael are hunting someone down, and though Gavin and Geoff seem completely incompetent in almost every single way, they prove more helpful than Ryan first thought. Featuring Jack and Ray as two very, very done bounty hunters trying to capture Geoff and Gavin for a mostly accidental bar fight, and Lindsay, Meg, and Barbara as badass pirates who Ryan and Michael are totally after because they stole all their money.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spread Sails and Burning Decks

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was my entry for the 2014 Ragehappy Secret Santa. It was way longer than I intended, and I ended up writing the majority of it on my phone, but I still enjoyed it. I certainly hope the recipient did too!

The moonlight gleamed dully on the cobblestones, bright upon still patches of water. Even though the sun had all but disappeared behind the horizon, throwing much of the landscape into shadow, the smell of salt on the air and the faint creak of wood and rope clearly indicated that the sprawl of low buildings was a port town.

 

Two men walked down the wide main street, skirting around the puddles gathered in the slight dips of the cobbled road. One had a prominent nose, the other a prominent moustache, both largely hidden under the cowls of their cloaks, which were pulled up over their heads to protect them from the chill winds of the night. Their belongings were slung over their backs in shapeless sacks.  

 

The one with the moustache, slightly taller and significantly broader (though the latter could be attributed as much to alcohol as to muscle), stopped across the street from a large, well-kept inn, a lovingly crafted sign depicting a smiling cockerel above the name  _The Toothy Rooster_.

 

"What about this one?"

 

The man with the large nose shot him a wary look. "You don't think it's owned by the Burn, do you, Geoff?"

 

Geoff sighed. "Honestly, Gavin? Knowing our luck, it's  _definitely_ owned by him."

 

Gavin tugged his cloak tighter around himself, the shiver that ran through him only half due to the cold. "Maybe we should keep going, then. Find somewhere else."

 

"You  _know_  how late it is, right? We don't stay here, we'll have to sleep in an alley again."

 

Gavin made a noise of disgust at the very notion. Geoff looked at the younger man askance. "This _is_ your fault, you know."

 

"I didn't mean to!" Gavin squawked in protest, his expression both affronted and guilty.

 

"Doesn't unset the Scarlet Sapphire on fire, does it?" Geoff retorted wryly, and Gavin sulked.

 

"Didn't mean to," he repeated sullenly.

 

"I mean, of  _all_ the places you could've accidentally set ablaze, why d'you have to choose that one?"

 

Gavin scowled, not wanting to repeat himself again.

 

It was far from the first time Geoff had berated him for the accident - and not without due cause. The Scarlet Sapphire hadn't just been any old tavern; it had been the pride and joy of Burnie Burns (known colloquially as the Burn, just as much for his name as for a nasty scar that curled around his left cheek). The establishment had been the first that the Burn had owned, and although he now had a veritable empire across the majority of the Ustina Islands, the Sapphire had held a special place in his heart for over a decade.

 

And Gavin had inadvertently razed it to the ground.

 

He and Geoff had been on the run since, hopping from island to island and somehow managing to stay one step ahead of the two bounty hunters that the Burn had sent after them. It had been more than a week since they'd slept in a proper bed, instead curling up in alleyways or a little ways off the forest roadsides in an effort to reduce their chances of being recognised. This was also why Geoff was currently sporting a moustache - when Gavin had burnt the Sapphire down, Geoff had had a rather large beard. He'd since shaved his cheeks and chin, leaving him with quite an impressive moustache. The logic behind the decision was that even though his moustache was very distinctive, anyone searching for him would be looking for a man with a beard. They would see his moustache, full and luscious as it was, and immediately dismiss him because of it.

 

At least, that's what he hoped would happen.

 

In any case, they were well overdue for a proper night's sleep, and had seen no sign of the bounty hunters on their trail for several days - not to mention that their best bet for finally finding someone to take them off the Ustina Islands was in an inn like the Toothy Rooster.

 

It was with this thought in mind that Geoff squared him shoulders and pushed against the door, Gavin trailing closely behind.

 

A wall of warmth hit them, the heat of a crackling fireplace and several dozen human bodies conglomerating into something akin to a physical force. After a brief hesitation, they stepped over the threshold, the door thudding shut behind them. They flipped the hoods of their cloaks back, revealing a wild mess of golden-brown hair and a youthful face for Gavin, and an equally messy but far shorter thatch of dark brown hair and tired-looking eyes for Geoff.

 

Several patrons looked up at the new arrivals, and almost immediately looked away, already losing interest.

 

They made their way to the counter, where a tall, gangly man with dark hair greeted them. Gavin hung back as Geoff enquired about dinner and a room, the older man grimacing and sighing at the price. He dug into his coin purse and tossed the correct denominations onto the stained wood, leaving the purse alarmingly close to empty.

 

That was another reason they needed to get off the Islands - as long as they were there, they were only losing money. Things would only get infinitely more difficult if they ran out.

 

The tavern keeper scooped up the coins, counting them twice to be sure they were correct. Geoff resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the man's neurosis, and the tavern keeper nodded to him, indicating for them to go sit at one of the empty tables.

 

"One of the girls will bring out your supper in a few minutes," he informed them.

 

Geoff led Gavin to an empty table and sat with a weary noise, dropping his bag next to his chair and rubbing his hands over his face. Gavin sat meekly next to him, setting his own things on the floor.

 

"What're we gonna do?" he murmured hoarsely.

 

"You said we were going to try and find a ship to take us, that we'd work aboard as payment, right?" Gavin replied, keeping his voice low. Hope lurked at the edge of his expression. "Maybe we'll run across some pirates that'll invite us to their crew!"

 

Geoff snorted. Gavin had long held a fascination for pirates, one that remained no matter how hard Geoff tried to shake him of it. "You better hope not," he said, a little derisively. "It'd take 'em about two minutes to realise how useless you are and they'd toss you overboard."

 

Gavin pouted, about to make a sulky retort, but his expression brightened when a barmaid slid two bowls of stew onto the table in front of them, along with fresh-baked bread and a flagon of ale each. Geoff happily settled into the last one, feeling he deserved it as he took a long draught. Gavin was more enthusiastic about the food, and dug in like he hadn't eaten properly for days. At the very least, it was one of the tastiest meals he'd had in the past month, and soon Geoff was wolfing down his own stew as well. The food disappeared rapidly, dregs mopped up with chunks of bread and popped into mouths. They burped appreciatively before returning their attention to their ale.

 

There was perhaps a quarter of the ale left in his mug when Geoff felt eyes on his back. Luckily, he held his alcohol well, and he still had a clear head as he gazed surreptitiously around the bar. He didn't spot anyone immediately out of place in front of him, so he straightened in his seat, pretending to crack his back as he twisted his torso to give himself a wider view of the room.

 

Still nothing.

 

The feeling remained, and Geoff took a measured sip of his ale. "I think someone's watching us," he remarked conversationally to Gavin.

 

To his credit, the younger man's reaction was minimal, and his words were as even as Geoff's when he replied, "Oh? What makes you say that?"

 

"Dunno. It's just a feeling, but..."

 

Gavin went to take a sip from his mug, then seemed to think better of it. He couldn't hold his drink like Geoff could. "Well, we have instincts for a reason, right?" His voice suddenly dropped even lower, alarm flickering at the edges. "You don't think those bounty hunters caught up to us, do you?"

 

Geoff shook his head slowly. "Don't think so. God, I hope not."

 

"You look tense, gentlemen," a deep voice suddenly chuckled behind them.

 

They both jumped at the sound, their eyes widening briefly in panic as they saw the blue naval coat the newcomer was wearing. Then they realised that the coat was of an outdated style, and that the rest of the man's outfit screamed 'pirate' - not to mention the decidedly unscrupulous-looking redhead standing just behind him, arms folded and a scowl on his freckled face.

 

The stranger grinned widely. "Perhaps some more drinks will soothe your nerves? This round's on me." He slid onto one of the empty seats across from them without invitation, his companion remaining standing, and motioned at one of the nearby barmaids to serve them drinks.

 

Geoff glowered at him, wondering how he'd managed to miss the two men when he'd looked around the tavern. "What do you want?"

 

The stranger smiled warmly as a barmaid arrived with fresh mugs of ale. He passed over several coins that totalled almost twice as much as what the drinks actually cost, winking as he did so. The barmaid returned the smile, obviously pleased with the generous tip, and added a bit of extra swing to her hips as she wound between the tables.

 

But the newcomer's eyes were no longer on her. Instead, they bored into Geoff's, two sets of icy blues attempting to out-stare each other.

 

"What do you want?" Geoff repeated slowly, his aggravation clearly increasing.

 

The stranger's eyes crinkled, apparently happy with what he saw. "You boys look a little down on your luck, if you don't mind me saying. How would you like some honest work? I think you'll find I pay very well."

 

Geoff snorted. "Doubt we'd get anything close to honest work from the likes of you."

 

"Well, I use the term 'honest'  _very_ broadly." The stranger shrugged amicably, eyes still twinkling. "I assume you're still going to say yes. Would I be wrong to say that?"

 

The moustachioed man's eyes narrowed. "Maybe. Depends. We talking about ship work here? My friend and I are aiming to get off the Islands."

 

A broad grin painted itself across the stranger's face. "Then you're in luck, my friend. It so happens that the  _Huntress_  plans to set sail for places very far away from the Islands indeed."

 

Gavin, who had been uncharacteristically silent for the entire conversation, suddenly sucked in a sharp breath as he recognised the ship-name. Realisation hit him. "You're Ryan Haywood. The Mad Captain," he breathed, face slack with awe.

 

Ryan gave the younger man a flourished half-bow. "The one and only." He gestured at the disgruntled redhead standing behind him. "This is Michael, my first mate."

 

Michael inclined his head slowly, but didn't speak, his arms folded over his chest. Gavin waved half-heartedly, faltering when Michael just stared at him.

 

Ryan turned his full attention to Gavin now, appraising him in a way that Geoff didn't like at all. "Ever worked on a ship before, lad?"

 

The younger man looked at the captain and flushed. "It's Gavin. I-I mean, I'm Gavin. Gavin Free. And no. But Geoff has," he added quickly, eyes flicking to his older companion.

 

Ryan's eyes didn't leave Gavin. "You're young and fit, I'm sure you'll pick up things quick." He nodded, half to himself, then smiled at Gavin again. "Yes, I'd definitely like you aboard," he murmured.

 

The undercurrent to his words went entirely over Gavin's head, the younger man too preoccupied with excitement at the prospect of finally getting to live out his childhood dreams of sailing on the high seas. Geoff, however, picked up on it all too easily, and leaned threateningly across the table.

 

"And what makes you think I'm going to say yes?" he growled.

 

Ryan smiled serenely. "Like I said, you boys look tense." His blue eyes were piercing. "Almost like you're hiding from someone. Someone that you need to get off the Islands to be away from." He leaned back, grinning at the sudden consternation on Geoff's face. "So tell me, which local high-and-mighty did you manage to annoy?"

 

Geoff sighed and jerked his thumb at Gavin. "Idiot accidentally burned down one of the Burn's taverns."

 

The captain laughed, the sound unexpectedly high and bubbly. He looked impressed. "The Scarlet Sapphire? I heard about that. You say that was you?" He pondered a moment, then reached across the table, clasping Geoff's hand in his own. Surprised by the sudden movement, Geoff let his hand be shaken. "I hold no love for the Burn," Ryan explained. "We have a… longstanding disagreement, shall we say. If he wants you, then I want you more."

 

Geoff took his hand back, not sure he found that reasoning entirely sound. He reminded himself that Ryan was called the Mad Captain for a reason, and not for the first time questioned why he was still giving Ryan a chance.

 

The blond pirate continued talking. "I have to admit, though, it  _does_  take a certain brand of foolhardiness for you to choose the Toothy Rooster to spend the night."

 

Geoff's shoulders sagged. "The Burn owns it, doesn't he?"

 

Ryan nodded with a smirk and Geoff cursed.

 

"Might I suggest we take our leave?" Ryan prompted. "Far be it from me to keep you from a warm bed, but somehow I doubt you would sleep very soundly here. Besides, the evening tide will be going out soon."

 

Geoff was already reaching under the table for the bag he'd left there, drink untouched. Gavin copied him. "Sounds like a plan. Lead the way, Captain."

 

Ryan stood, grinning deviously, and Geoff wondered bleakly what he'd just gotten himself into.

 

~* * *~

 

Not too long after they left, two new men entered the Rooster. One was tall and broad with a flowing fiery beard, the other a short, slender foreigner with dark, neatly kept facial hair. Both were armed to the teeth with weapons both concealed and visible.

 

The tavern keeper recognised them and called out a greeting. "Jack, Ray. Good to see you again."

 

"Hi, Joel," the shorter man replied.

 

The bearded one grinned, arm stretching across the countertop to grip the tavern keeper's forearm. "Hey, man."

 

Joel let out a small sigh. "Keep making that joke, Jack, maybe one of these days it'll actually be funny."

 

Jack shrugged, still grinning, and took his arm back.

 

The tavern keeper returned to polishing the counter. "So, what can I get for you today?"

 

Ray pulled out two rolls of paper, unravelling them to display a pair of wanted posters. "We're looking for these two. I know it's a long shot, but Jack insisted we check everywhere. Seen them?"

 

Joel went to shake his head, but then did a double take. He tapped one of the posters, saying, "I definitely saw this one, but I don't recognise the one with the beard. Wait…" He peered closer at the second poster, then nodded. "No, wait, I do. He has a moustache now, though. It took me a second."

 

Ray's grin was triumphant. "About time we had a break," he told Joel, rolling up the posters. "Been trying to find these assholes for almost a month now."

 

"For idiots, they sure do a good job of hiding," Jack added, shaking his head. "Hard to believe they came in here, though, of all places. After what they did, you'd think a tavern owned by the Burn is the last place they'd go."

 

"What did they do?"

 

"Burnt down the Scarlet Sapphire."

 

"…Ah. That'd do it."

 

"Don't suppose we'd be lucky enough to have them staying the night?" Jack asked, leaning against the bar.

 

Joel shook his head a little uncertainly. "They paid for a room, but… I don't think they actually plan on staying now. They left a couple of hours ago, and I'm pretty sure they took their bags with them. There were two other men with them, too. Pirates, from the look of it."

 

Ray swore and Jack's mouth set in a thin line.

 

"If they set sail with the evening tide, we'll be hard pressed to ever find them again," the bearded man muttered.

 

"They might be waiting 'til the morning tide," Joel offered, but he didn't sound the least bit convinced.

 

"Can't take that risk," Ray said shortly, stuffing the posters into a small satchel looped over his shoulder. "C'mon, Jack, we might still be able to get to the pier in time."

 

~* * *~

 

"Sorry, fellas, the only folk that sound like who you're looking for boarded a ship that left a little under an hour ago," the dock master told them apologetically when the two bounty hunters arrived at the docks. "They would've missed the tide otherwise."

 

Ray swore under his breath.

 

"Do you at least know what ship it was they got on?" Jack asked desperately, hands flat against the dock master's desk.

 

"Yessir, they went aboard the  _Huntress_."

 

Jack was alarmed. "Are you sure?"

 

"Sure as sure," the dock master confirmed. "She's come by once or twice over the years. I never forget a ship, especially a ship like that."

 

Jack sighed, thanking the dock master for his time. The bounty hunters left him to his work, wandering to the end of one of the piers and staring out at the ocean.

 

Ray looked out across the sheltered bay despairingly, the boundary between the sky and the sea lost in the darkness. It was impossible to tell whether or not the  _Huntress_ had already slipped over the edge of the horizon. 

 

"The  _Huntress_  is one of the swiftest ships around," Jack muttered, seeming to follow a similar train of thought as Ray, "and even if we  _could_  muster up a ship and a crew on such short notice, we've got no clue where they're headed." His shoulders sagged. "We've lost them."

 

"I vote we tell the Burn they drowned."

 

Jack shot him a look.

 

"What?" Ray protested, gesturing wildly out to sea. "You said it yourself, we'll never find them now! And they're idiots, they'll probably just accidentally fall overboard if they don't get thrown over first. Technically, we wouldn't be lying."

 

"The Burn will reduce the payout for not actually bringing them back," Jack replied doubtfully.

 

"So?" Ray snorted. "Better than not being paid at all."

 

"True," Jack acquiesced, then gave vent to a long-suffering sigh. "Fuck it, I'm done. They drowned, end of story. Let's go get our money."

 

He turned, heading back up the pier. Ray followed after him, punching the air in victory.

 

~* * *~

 

"Welcome aboard the  _Huntress_ , gentlemen,” Ryan said to Geoff and Gavin as he led them aboard, several hours before Jack and Ray arrived at the Toothy Rooster. Ryan had already ensured that all the mooring fees had been paid to the dock master, and now men swarmed over the ship, moving sure-footed over the deck and rigging, like it was daylight instead of twilight. "I'll ask you to stay out of the way for now," Ryan told them, heading for the wheel. "Once we're at sea I'll figure out what work you're best suited to." He turned now to his surly companion, who had yet to say a word since meeting Gavin and Geoff. "Michael?" he enquired, and the curly-haired man nodded, stepping forward.

 

He broke his silence with a bellow. "Alright, assholes, you've been lounging around in port doing nothing the last few days, you should be plenty rested, pick up the pace! Captain wants us out of here five minutes ago, and my math has never been the best, but I'm sure you can all agree that means we should've been gone by now already! C'mon, put some effort into it, we're never going to get that treasure back if you keep moving at a snail's pace!"

 

As soon as Michael started yelling, the crew sped up their actions, crawling over the ship like ants. Mooring lines were cast loose, the sails were loosened slightly in anticipation of being unfurled once they left the docks, oars were pulled from underneath the benches and slotted into the rowing locks. Gavin and Geoff stood awkwardly behind Ryan, and a few minutes later the rowing crew settled at the benches, each of them grabbing an oar. Michael started to call the strokes and they heaved. The  _Huntress_  moved slowly away from the dock. 

 

Geoff looked at the rowers with a frown. It was hard to tell in the dim light cast by the dockside lanterns, but, several of the crew looked to be sporting rather fresh injuries, whilst others didn't seem entirely in tune with their fellow crewmembers. Even as he watched, one of the rowers slipped out of rhythm, and the men on the benches behind and in front of him cursed and spat until he corrected himself.

 

"Michael mentioned something about treasure?" Gavin asked Ryan timidly.

 

"That he did," Ryan confirmed. "We had something of a run-in with the crew of the  _Ruby Maria_. They left the  _Huntress_  crippled, and stole almost all of the booty we had aboard." He ran a hand gently along the edge of the wheel. "We almost didn't make it to port for repairs."

 

"The  _Ruby Maria_?" Gavin repeated, surprised amusement in his voice. "Isn't that the ship of girl pirates?"

 

Ryan rounded on him suddenly, blue eyes stormy grey under the moonlight. "Do not assume that they are weak because they are women, Mr Free," he shot back icily. "They are ruthless and brutal and by far the most dangerous crew I have ever come across. The only reason I am still here is because they decided the  _Huntress_  and her crew were no longer a threat. I hope to prove them wrong, but I will not make the mistake of underestimating them." His blazing anger suddenly seemed to fade, and he returned his attention to the wheel. "I would keep that in mind if I were you. I lost a good many men thanks to them," he said softly, and called out an order to Michael to have the rowers store their oars and let out the sails.

 

Geoff's confusion cleared. "That's why so many of the crew look a little out of place. They've only just joined."

 

"True, but they are all seafaring men. They should only need a few days before they settle in, if that."

 

The sails billowed, filling with wind and swelling to a smooth curve. Seawater parted beneath the bow, moonlight glinting white on the little furls left in the ship's wake. Ryan's grip tightened slightly on the wheel, and he looked up at the stars for a moment before nudging it a few degrees to the left.

 

"So why recruit us, then? It's been a while since I worked a ship, and Gavin never has."

 

"It's a skill that will come back to you quickly," Ryan assured. "And, like I said earlier, the lad's young and fit and eager, he should be able to pick things up with relative ease." He looked at Geoff out of the corner of his eye. "Frankly, I need all the men I can get, especially those that know their way around a sword."

 

Geoff's shoulders tensed. Ryan grinned.

 

"I  _am_  correct to assume you do?"

 

"I do," Geoff replied stiffly. "I didn't sign on to fight."

 

Ryan arched an eyebrow. "Perhaps a pirate crew was not the wisest of choices then, hm?"

 

Geoff was silent, glowering.

 

"And of course your boy will have to learn as well. If nothing, he will need to be able to defend himself."

 

"No." Geoff's voice was flat. "I want him as far away from that life as possible."

 

"I refer to my previous statement," Ryan said, then all humour fled his voice. "You seem to forget that you are now part of my crew. I am your captain. My word aboard this ship may not be gospel, but it's more than close enough. Understand that when I ask something of you, it is an order, not a request. I expect you to obey my commands. If you do not… Well. There is currently only one way off this ship, and I don't like your chances in open water at night. Do we understand one another?"

 

Geoff swallowed, then nodded. "Yes."

 

"Yes what?"

 

"…Yes, Captain."

 

"Yes, Captain," Gavin echoed, nodding vigorously.

 

Ryan grinned, suddenly friendly once more. "Good to hear."

 

~* * *~

 

It was already past midnight when Ryan ordered the ship to be anchored for the night. The wind had started to die down a bit, the air cool. Gavin was glad he was wearing warm clothes.

 

Ryan turned to them once the ship was securely anchored. "So, gentlemen, now I have to figure out what to do with you." He rubbed his hands together, first casting his gaze towards Geoff. "You mentioned having worked aboard ships before?"

 

"I did. My wife was a shipwright, and she'd sail out on occasion. She always took me whenever she did."

 

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "That would have been a difficult job for her to obtain. She must be an incredible woman."

 

Geoff's jaw clenched. "She was."

 

The captain's face softened slightly, even though it was clear he had already guessed that she wasn't around anymore. "My condolences."

 

"It was a very long time ago."

 

"But time does not heal all wounds," Ryan replied quietly, looking distant for a moment before focusing on Geoff once more. "So, you know your way around a ship, and a sword. Any other skills you'd care to mention?"

 

"He's a bloody brilliant cook," Gavin offered after a moment's silence.

 

Ryan grinned wide. "Excellent. I've been looking for a replacement - currently I have the ship's medic pulling double duty, and the food have been palatable enough, but it will do the crew good to have some heartier meals in their bellies." He switched his gaze to Gavin. "And what of you, lad? Do you have any experience that will be useful aboard?"

 

Gavin scuffed his boots on the deck, suddenly nervous. Geoff gave him a nudge.

 

"I know a lot about ships," he blurted, then went red. "I mean, I've read a lot about them."

 

This seemed to pique Ryan's interest - after all, reading was not an everyman's skill. Encouraged, Gavin ploughed on. "I mean, this is the first time I've been on a ship outside of the Ustina Islands. Griffon… went away… before Geoff adopted me, so I never sailed out with her, but she had a bunch of books about ships that I read all the time growing up. I've read every book I could find about sailing in general, really. I can read maps and star charts and all that sort of stuff, too."

 

The captain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Quite useful indeed. Of course, you'll still have to take part in the more physical aspects of working on a ship, but it will certainly make my life easier navigating whilst we're underway." He smiled. "You said your experience with swordplay was minimal?"

 

"Well, actually…" Gavin glanced at Geoff askance, and shrank back at the sharp look being sent in his direction. He swallowed. "When I was growing up, the blacksmith's son, Adam, knew a lot about how to swordfight from his dad, and he taught me and a bunch of the other local lads. We'd pretend-fight with sticks and that. It was only when I was really young, though. I think I've forgotten most of it."

 

"You never told me about that," Geoff all but growled.

 

"Well, I knew you'd be mad about it, didn't I?"

 

Ryan spoke again before Geoff could retort. "Like with most things, it is a skill that can easily be relearnt." He smiled. "Though I shudder to think what terrible habits you picked up, being taught by a child how to fight. But we can deal with that tomorrow." He took in a short breath, then called out, "Michael?"

 

The first mate made his way over to them, stopping a few metres short. "Yes, Captain?"

 

"I've assigned the latest recruits to their new positions, if you wouldn't mind showing them to the crew quarters."

 

Michael nodded brusquely, then gestured them over, glaring daggers at Gavin for some unknown reason. Gavin hung back as Geoff walked over, wondering what he could have possibly done already to make the first mate hate him.

 

"C'mon, asshole, I don't have all night," he growled impatiently, beckoning roughly at Gavin. 

 

Gavin reluctantly left Ryan's side, and the first mate escorted them down into the bowels of the ship.

 

The crew quarters were cramped by necessity. Most of the other crew mates had already settled into their narrow bunks or gently swaying hammocks, although four men were having a quietly aggressive game of cards, one of them accusing another of looking at his hand in harsh whispers.

 

"Stow it, Kdin," Michael ordered, and the accuser glowered, grumbling. The blond he'd been berating looked smug. The first mate sighed, shaking his head, and directed Geoff and Gavin to two empty bunks, then promptly left. One of the benefits of being first mate was that, like the captain, Michael had his own quarters - admittedly not as large as the captain's, but certainly still better than sharing a crowded space like the crew quarters. Gavin watched him go with no small amount of envy.

 

Geoff squinted at the bunks. "I'll let you take the bottom bunk, Gav," he told the younger man. "I know you'd just fall out and wake everyone up if you're on the top." So saying, he promptly heaved himself onto the upper bunk, shifted around for a few seconds, and fell asleep.

 

But Gavin was too keyed up for that. Even as he climbed onto the thin mattress, he already knew he wouldn't fall asleep anywhere near as quickly as Geoff had. The room was filled with the sound of soft snoring and the muted bickering of the card players, and rather than serving as soothing background noise, Gavin just found himself distracted. His leg twitched and his arm itched and he sighed, heaving himself from his bunk. The card players ignored him as he headed back up onto the deck, making his way to the railing. He leaned against it and grinned.

 

He was actually on a real pirate ship.

 

His head cocked to the side as he heard voices.

 

It was just murmurs, muffled by wood, too indistinct to make out the words. Gavin crept across the deck, to the light shining in the gap between the door and the jamb to the captain's quarters. The voices got clearer, and he was able to pick out Ryan and Michael's voices. Not that this was an astounding revelation, of course - they were the only two besides Gavin remaining above deck.

 

Still, his insatiable curiosity meant he couldn't help but press his eye to the crack and eavesdrop on their conversation.

 

"I saw the way you were looking at the younger one, don't pretend to me you recruited them because you actually thought they'd be useful. And don't tell me that it's because they pissed off the Burn, either, that's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard," Michael hissed, crowding Ryan's space. "The older one might actually be useful, but  _him_... Overall, those two will just slow us down, Ryan. I can deal with all the mad schemes you come up with, but I can't believe you're being this stupid."

 

Ryan laughed at his first mate's seething anger, raising an eyebrow. "Is that any way to speak to your captain?"

 

"Don't you start that again!" Michael snapped, now toe to toe and nose to nose with the taller man, hands balled into fists. "You may run the  _Huntress_ , but you know you still need me. What you  _don't_  need is some idiot with a giant nose that'll probably end up accidentally sinking the ship. D'you really think having someone who starts fires without even meaning to is a good idea?"

 

"I'm not sure if you've bothered to notice, my dear, but we really do need all the men we can get if we want to overcome the  _Ruby Maria_. If they turn out to be as useless as you believe, we can leave them at the next port. If they really become a hindrance, we can easily drop them over the side. In the meantime, I don't think there's any harm done if I enjoy the view."

 

The captain's grin grew wider as Michael's scowl deepened.

 

"You're in quite a mood today, aren't you? Jealousy becomes you, Michael." He stepped forward, forcing the younger man to give ground until he was backed against the wall. Ryan's hand came up to caress his jawline, but Michael shoved roughly at his chest. Ryan looked surprised as the force of the push sent him back a few paces.

 

Gavin covered his mouth to stop himself from gasping aloud. He'd had no idea that the captain and the first mate had felt like  _that_  towards each other. Not to mention that the fact that Michael was chewing Ryan out for being attracted to  _Gavin_  was making his head spin even more.

 

Gavin clearly just wasn't very good at picking up on that sort of thing.

 

He shook himself, snapping back to reality to continue his eavesdropping.

 

"I'd follow you to the ends of the earth, Ryan, you know that," Michael was saying quietly but firmly, holding the captain's gaze. "But only if you'd do the same for me."

 

All signs of humour suddenly dropped from Ryan's face, replaced with open sincerity. "I may indulge in sights I find pleasing to the eye, but all my other senses belong only to you." He moved in close again, smiling softly as Michael let him approach without shoving him away. "To the ends of the earth, Michael. You are the only one for me."

 

Michael sighed, casting his eyes up at the ceiling. "I honestly don't understand how you can be one of the most feared pirates to ever sail the seas, yet you're still this much of a hopeless romantic."

 

Closing the distance, Ryan's lips latched onto the side of the younger man's neck, earning him a soft noise of approval. "It humanises me," he hummed against Michael's collarbone. "After all, I wouldn't want to be so perfect as to be seen as unattainable."

 

The first mate let out an irritated groan even as he submitted to the touch, hands going to Ryan's shoulders. "You're such an asshole. Now shut up and actually kiss me."

 

At this point, Gavin scurried away from the door, deciding he'd seen and heard far too much already. He tiptoed back into the crew cabin as fast as he dared, cringing at every creak of the planks before slinking over to the thin mattress and blanket that served as his bed. He crawled under the covers, drawing them over his head and tried to calm himself down. Instead, his stomach swirled with a tangled confusion of emotions that left his brow furrowed and his cheeks burning.

 

It was several hours before his feelings settled down enough to let him sleep.

 

~* * *~

 

There was no other word for it - Gavin ached. His feet were sore, his hands were raw, and his every muscle begged for rest. He'd spent the morning and most of the afternoon running across the deck, dragging things to where he was told to drag them, and just generally being berated by everyone whenever he did something wrong - which was a number of times. To be fair to him, though, the number of new incidents was steadily decreasing, and he hadn't been yelled at for at least half an hour when he allowed himself to slump onto one of the rowing benches for a few minutes of rest. His eyes closed, the sun warm on his skin and staining his vision a pinkish-red. He found himself glad of his already tanned skin, knowing that otherwise he'd be dealing with sunburn on top of all of his other pains.

 

His eyes shot open and he gasped as a bucket of seawater was dumped over him.

 

"Did someone say you could just lounge around whenever you felt like it?" Michael asked him sardonically, an upturned bucket in his hands. Gavin bit back the response that he wanted to give the first mate. Knowing the reason for Michael's dislike towards him only made it slightly easier to bear.

 

"I've been running around all day already!" he sputtered instead, shaking water from himself. "I'm sore all over, I just wanted to sit down for a few bloody minutes!"

 

"You haven't done anything that the rest of the crew hasn't done, and you don't see them complaining," the first mate replied unsympathetically to Gavin's whiny tone.

 

"Michael," Ryan suddenly called down, "Would you take the wheel for a moment?"

 

The first mate gave Gavin one last glare. "Of course, Captain." They switched places, and the captain made his way across the deck over to Gavin. As he went, he motioned one of the card players from the night before to take over Michael's duties.

 

"I think it's high time you show me how much you remember of your childhood swordplay," Ryan told him, taking off his coat and draping it over one of the rowing benches. He jerked his head at one of the crewmembers, who hastily ran over to one of the barrels stored on the deck and rolled it over to them. Ryan dipped his hand inside and drew out a blunted practice sword, tossing it over to Gavin. The younger man managed to catch it, barely, fighting back a groan as his body berated him for moving so quickly.

 

He was excited to start learning how to fight from an expert, but it was tempered by the way his muscles were screaming at him to cease all motion. Not to mention the fact that he hadn't been given a decently sharpened sword was more than a little disappointing.

 

Ryan saw the look on his face and laughed. "You will get a proper blade, don't worry. You only have to convince me that you won't accidentally cut off your own head first." He drew his own practice sword from the barrel and beckoned at Gavin with it. "Come on. Up."

 

A small groan slipped past Gavin's lips as he heaved himself to his feet, moving to a clear space in the middle of the deck. Ryan joined him.

 

"Take your stance," he ordered, and Gavin complied, lifting the sword and falling into a fighting pose.

 

The captain circled around him, using his hands and the flat of his sword to shift various parts of Gavin into a better position.

 

Gavin tried not to blush too much at Ryan's hands on his shoulders, his arms, his waist, instead nodding vigorously as Ryan explained how each adjustment to his posture would make his fighting better, and would potentially save his life. It was hard, however, to ignore the intimacy of their situation with the way Ryan's voice was close enough to be clear despite being a low murmur.

 

Also difficult to ignore was the fact that Michael was glaring at Gavin like he wanted the other man to catch on fire.

 

It certainly didn't help that Gavin wasn't even sure if he had any feelings towards the captain in the first place. While certainly acknowledging that Ryan was an attractive man, Gavin didn't know if he was actually attracted  _to_  him, physically or romantically, or if the potential for it in his mind only existed because he'd overheard Michael talking about the possibility.

 

Not that anything would ever eventuate there if he did have any feelings for Ryan. Michael would murder him before that could ever happen. Probably slowly, and definitely painfully.

 

Gavin shook himself and returned his attention to Ryan, who was now standing in front of him, sword hanging loosely at his side.

 

Several of the crewmembers who weren't actively busy - and a few who were - had cottoned on to what was happening, and were watching with keen interest.

 

"I want you to try and kill me," the captain said simply.

 

He stared. "Pardon?"

 

"I want you to try and kill me," Ryan repeated, his voice cheerful. "Go on. Take a hack at my neck. Split my skull open. The point's incredibly blunt on that sword, but you can still try sticking it between my ribs. Whatever you like."

 

Gavin frowned. "But you're not even guarding yourself."

 

"I don't need to." The captain smiled. "Go on. I promise whatever you do, you're not going to hurt me."

 

Half-heartedly, Gavin stepped in closer and swung the sword at Ryan's side.

 

The sword in Ryan's hand flickered and deflected Gavin's blade, leaving the younger man's front completely unguarded. Ryan mimed pulling a knife from his belt and driving it into Gavin's stomach. "Dead," he said clearly, and held Gavin there for a moment before allowing him to step back. The younger man's ears burned as he heard several of the crew watching laugh at him.

 

"Again," Ryan ordered, and Gavin threw himself into his next attack, aiming a slice at the captain's thigh. Ryan's sword flickered again, the smallest of motions halting Gavin's blade in its tracks. He tried three times more, and each time he was repelled with ease.

 

Gavin sprang back, his earlier fatigue all but forgotten as determination washed through him. He knew there was no way that he'd be able to break through the captain's defence, but he wanted to make him stumble, at least a little bit, at least once.

 

It didn't work.

 

As the afternoon progressed, Ryan allowed him to bounce back from each strike more fluidly, even adding a few retaliatory strikes of his own and explaining how best to block them. Steel clashed rhythmically as the crew members gradually lost interest, getting back to work. Ryan called out corrections to his technique, and Gavin did his best to fix his mistakes. His exhaustion started to creep back up on him again, but he pushed through it, wanting to impress.

 

Ryan called a momentary pause and Gavin stepped back, panting and head drooping. The captain set his sword down, and reached for the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it onto the deck.

 

Gavin decided very quickly that he definitely had some level of physical attraction to the captain. The older man was muscled, which was to be expected, really, what with his expertise with a sword. Gavin shouldn't have been surprised, but as it was he was having trouble not drooling.

 

Ryan picked up his sword and turned back to his trainee, raising an eyebrow. "Ready?"

 

Not trusting his voice, Gavin nodded and got into a stance.

 

The captain moved suddenly, gracefully, sword swinging in from the side. Gavin couldn't help but stare at the way the muscles in Ryan's arms shifted and flexed, and his grip was slack. His sword was easily torn from his hand and sent skittering across the deck.

 

"Dead," Ryan said softly, touching the tip of his own sword to Gavin's throat.

 

"You distracted me!" Gavin protested before thinking the words through. His bit his lip in consternation.

 

Ryan was merciful and didn't comment, but his smirk let Gavin know the older man had known exactly what he meant. Then his face set into serious lines and he said, "Gavin, in a fight, there will be people screaming, dying, hurling weapons and themselves at their opponents. There will be a great many distractions. You will have to learn to not be distracted by them."

 

Gavin tried to ignore the sweat dripping into his eyes and he nodded.

 

The older man motioned for him to rest, and Gavin complied gratefully, sword dropping with a clatter as he let himself fall to the deck.

 

"You don't have the skill to actually beat anyone in a fight," Ryann informed him, standing over the younger man as he tried to catch his breath.

 

Gavin squinted up at him, exhausted beyond belief, and tried not to let crushing disappointment flood his entire being. "What d'you mean?"

 

"I mean that the pirates we will be going up against have been fighting for years, or even decades. You cannot hope to come close to matching that skill in a matter of days. All you can hope to do is fend them off for maybe a few blows and wait for someone else to take care of things for you." The captain offered him a hand up, and Gavin took it reluctantly, despite not really wanting to ever stand up again. "Which is why, when we catch up to the  _Ruby Maria_ , it will be your job to retrieve the map to wherever they have hidden our treasure."

 

Gavin stared. He seemed to be doing that a lot that afternoon. "What?"

 

"Every pirate has a hidden place where they stash their plundered goods," the captain replied patiently. "Most find it prudent to keep a map of its location. Finding it again can be a bit difficult otherwise."

 

"I understand that, but..." He made a vague, confused gesture. "Why me?"

 

"You will be the easiest to spare from the fighting," Ryan explained, "And you will know exactly what you are looking for. There will be dozens of sea charts aboard the  _Maria_ , it will be up to you to determine which among them contains the information we need."

 

The younger man's head reeled at the importance of the job being given to him. "I... Thank you, Captain. I won't let you down," he promised, tone firm.

 

Ryan peered deep into his eyes and almost smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching up. "No," he murmured, "I daresay you won't."

 

~* * *~

 

In a seaside cave known only to those who were aboard the ship currently docked on its shores, a crew of female pirates was getting ready to set sail once more. Their most recent plunder had been stowed among the rest of their immeasurable wealth, a testament to their captain's ruthless dedication to living a pirate's life.

 

The captain's name was Meg Turney, proud owner of the  _Ruby Maria_ , a naval ship she had liberated some years before. Her long red hair flowed down her back, the colour almost blending in to the long coat she wore, the tails swirling in the breeze as she crossed the cavern floor. Her boots crunched over coins and jewels, the actual floor of the cavern invisible. Beside her walked Barbara, a blonde and the ship's navigator. Her eyes were set off by the deep blue waistcoat she wore over her white shirt.

 

The blonde looked at her captain and let out a fondly exasperated sigh.

 

Meg was running one last check on their newly acquired addition to their already plentiful stores of treasure.

 

At least, that's what she had fobbed it off as. To Barbara, it looked an awful lot like she was playing dress-up with a chest full of ornate hats she'd discovered.

 

Barbara couldn't help but smile at the almost childlike glee on the captain's face as she dug through the box, seeming determined to try on each hat at least once. Meg finally narrowed it down to her two favourites, weighing them in her hands as she chewed her lip. Then, nodding decisively, she tossed one back into the chest and put the other one on.

 

"Keeping that one, are you?" Barbara nodded at the large black hat now perched atop Meg's head, a long maroon feather tucked into the band and fluttering gently in the breeze. Gold thread decorated the brim with delicate patterns.

 

The captain touched one hand to the brim of the hat, smiling radiantly. "I think I will. Fetching, don't you think?"

 

"It's definitely something," Barbara agreed with a grin.

 

Meg arched an eyebrow at her. "I hope you're not mocking your captain."

 

"Wouldn't dream of it," Barbara replied, looking about as insincere as was humanly possible.

 

"Ship's ready to cast off, Captain," a pirate with straight red hair and a black waistcoat informed them.

 

"Good." Meg brushed her fingers along the brim of her new headwear once more. "What do you think of my new hat?"

 

She grinned. "It's lovely."

 

" _Thank_  you, Lindsay. This is why you're the first mate, and Barbara is the navigator." She looked pointedly at the blonde, who nodded seriously then poked out her tongue as soon as Meg turned back around.

 

"To be fair, though, it's also because Babs is the only one that can actually read maps well," Lindsay said.

 

"True." Meg shut the chest, clicking the clasps shut. "Alright, ladies, time to go. We'll head for Rousce first to resupply, and to sell off the more delicate fabrics we've acquired, then it's back out to open sea. This cave isn't filled with nearly enough treasure."

 

Barbara looked around at the veritable mountains of gold and jewels and various other costly goods stored inside the large cavern, and raised both eyebrows. "You sure about that?"

 

Meg laughed at her disbelieving expression. "Fighting to get the treasure in the first place is half the fun, though, isn't it? Besides, there's plenty of space, we can make it work," she replied breezily before sauntering past them, the feather in her new hat dancing in the wind.

 

~* * *~

 

"Where are we actually headed?" Gavin thought to ask Ryan after the evening meal. The crew had been quick to profess their love for Geoff's cooking, impressed with how tasty he'd managed to make their meals, given that he was using ship provisions.

 

"Rousce. It has a very popular trading market, and is a pirate friendly port. It's very likely that the  _Ruby Maria_  will have headed there after stashing some of our treasure, both to sell everything else and to restock on food and miscellaneous ship gear. We won't need to restock ourselves, seeing as we've got enough supplies to last us through to the end of the month during our stay in the Islands. I do, however, have a contact in the port that will let us know how close we are behind the  _Maria_ , and what direction they left in. I don't doubt they would have gone with the morning tide, so we should be able to get their general bearing if we're lucky. We should arrive before midday the day after tomorrow."

 

~* * *~

 

True to his word, they docked at Rousce about halfway through the tenth hour, two days later. The port was far larger and grander than anything Gavin had seen on the Ustina Islands, and he stared open-mouthed at the small city sprawled by the water's edge.

 

But this wasn't some form of sightseeing tour. They were only in port long enough for Ryan to locate and talk to his contact, a young man with dark hair named JJ, and once they had the information they needed, they were off once more. They had only missed  _the_ _Ruby Maria_  by a few hours, the other ship having left with the morning tide. If  _the_ _Huntress_ could sail fast enough, they would catch up with the female pirates before nightfall.

 

The wind filled the sails of the  _Huntress_  as she surged west, her crew working to get the best turn of speed possible. In the early afternoon, Ryan ran through one last sword training session with Gavin, finally giving him his own cutlass, properly sharpened, for the upcoming fight. He still was nowhere near proficient enough with a sword to truly last long in a one-on-one encounter, but if their luck continued it would be enough.

 

Excitement raced alongside nervousness through Gavin's veins at the prospect of engaging in a real pirate battle. Whilst having a largely non-combative role, Gavin would still be armed, would definitely still fight in some capacity. He bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, unable to suppress a grin.

 

Geoff was far dourer in his attitude.

 

Late afternoon offered them their first sighting of the  _Maria_ , and whilst she was a fast ship, everyone aboard knew that the  _Huntress_  was faster. A cheer went up through the crew, eager at the chance to exact vengeance against the ship that had bested them before.

 

~* * *~

 

"Captain?" The lookout called uncertainly from the  _Maria_ 's crow's nest.

 

"What is it, Muriel?" Meg called up.

 

"There's a ship on the horizon, headed straight for us."

 

"Can you tell if it's a naval vessel?"

 

"I don't think it is," Muriel shouted down at her, then squinted at the ship for almost a minute, waiting for them to get a little closer. "Looks like a pirate," she said eventually. Then, a few minutes after that, with more urgency to her tone, she added, "I think it might be the  _Huntress_."

 

Meg's lips curled into a smile. "So they've managed to fix her up and still chase us down," she murmured. "Impressive."

 

The first mate, Lindsay, cast her a glance. "What do you want us to do, Captain?"

 

The smile on Meg's face stretched into a grin. "Let them come. We'll see if they put up a better fight the second time around."

 

~* * *~

 

The  _Huntress_  swallowed the miles between the ships eagerly, and the sun was barely touching the horizon when they came within firing range. Ryan's crew were tense, expecting that any moment the  _Maria_  would suddenly turn and start firing its cannons.

 

But Meg seemed content to allow them to come up alongside them.

 

As soon as they drew level, the crew of the  _Maria_  suddenly sprang forward, laying down boarding planks and rushing across them with an almighty roar. Startled, the  _Huntress_ ' crew only got two of their own planks down before they had to meet the sudden attack. They hadn't expected their enemy to bring the fight to them, and they fell back with a clash of steel.

 

Once the surprise wore off, though, Ryan's crew fought back with ferocity, matching the female pirates' roar with one of their own. Fighters on both sides started to cry out in pain as their opponents slipped by their defences and landed hits. Bodies fell from the planks, hitting the churning water below and sinking beneath the waves.

 

Gavin stared from his place in the back, his throat dry. He knew he'd had somewhat of an idealistic view of how things would go, but he still hadn't quite expected things to be quite so... brutal. Even as he watched, one of the card players he'd passed by on his first night aboard fell underneath his opponent's sword, slumping to his knees and toppling off the side of the boarding plank. Another fighter was quick to take his place and the crew of the  _Huntress_  pressed forward, slowly taking ground until suddenly they were spilling onto the  _Maria_ 's deck.

 

Now that they had gained a foothold, Ryan left his post overseeing the initial assault and joined the fray, yelling triumphantly as he went.

 

Gavin gulped. That was his cue.

 

The majority of the fighting had now moved onto the  _Maria_ , and Gavin darted across, ducking under swords and limbs as he made his way to the map room. He managed to slip in unscathed, and thanked the stars that the ship's navigator had the decency to keep everything neat. It only took him a few minutes of frantic rummaging before he uncovered the map, grinning with delight as he rolled it up.

 

This was all unbeknownst to Meg, who was at that moment engaged in combat with one of Ryan's crewmembers. She let out a feral sound as she slit the man's throat, his body crumpling before her, but it was clear that the other crew had the upper hand. She scowled.

 

It was less fun when the other side was winning.

 

"I found it!" Gavin yelled as he ran from the map room, triumphantly brandishing the map over his head.

 

Meg saw him, snarled, and lunged, missing him by a hair's breath as he flung himself out of the way, shrieking in fright and dropping his sword in the process. Somehow he had the presence of mind to keep his grip firm on the map. Her sword thudded into the planks, sticking there as Gavin ploughed directly into a barrel serving as a perch for a lantern, promptly knocking the whole thing over. The lantern shattered, oil spilling and immediately catching fire.

 

"Ohhh, god, not again," Gavin muttered despairingly as the fire jumped to a nearby coil of rope. The rope was heavily tarred to protect it from the elements, and it was alight almost instantly. Flames licked up the ropes and took hold of the sails. Before long, the entire ship was ablaze, Gavin standing wide-eyed amid his latest accidental chaos.

 

A few of the female pirates tried to break away from the fighting in order to stamp out the fire, but Ryan's crew was relentless. Meg finally yanked her sword free from the deck, only to turn and find her pride and joy literally going up in flames. The fire was already taking hold of the timber, and if it wasn't stopped it would almost definitely eat its way through the planks and destroy the ship. And there was no real hope of stopping the fire and simultaneously trying to repel the crew of the  _Huntress_.

 

Her eyes zeroed in on the dumbfounded and cowering Gavin, narrowing with a sudden burst of hatred. _" _I'll kill you!_ "_ she roared, and Gavin blanched.

 

He threw himself to the side, but he was just a little bit too slow. Meg's sword nicked his arm, slicing through the sleeve and drawing blood. Gavin gasped in pain and darted away, barely avoiding Meg's follow-up slash. He scooped up his sword, stepped back into a fighting stance, and promptly tripped over a burning coil of rope.

 

He fell on his back and kicked desperately at the rope, inadvertently flicking it underneath Meg's feet. She stumbled, distracted, and it gave Gavin time to scramble to his feet.

 

Her sword came at him, humming in a deadly arc. He swung his own sword up to intercept, and the clang of the blades travelled all the way up his arm, making it go numb. Another stroke, another clash of metal, and the sword was knocked from Gavin's weakened grip.

 

Meg raised her sword high, fury in her eyes as she brought it sweeping down. There was no grace, no finesse, just an angry motion designed to slash his chest open.

 

Gavin scrunched his eyes shut, waiting for the biting impact, but opened them back up once he heard the crash of steel on steel above him.

 

"I see you've found the map. Well done, Gavin." Ryan grinned down at him and plucked said map from Gavin's fingers, glittering blade holding Meg's sword at bay.

 

"No problem," Gavin gasped, heart still pounding, and scrambled out of the way.

 

The two captains came apart, then clashed again, swords ringing.

 

Despite her smaller stature, Meg held her own, moving too quickly to give Ryan any real chance to use the full force of his strength.

 

She was fast, but Ryan was fast too. Their swords flashed in the flickering firelight, bright and almost seeming alive as they met each other blow for blow. They ranged across the burning deck, heedless of the raging fire and the battling pirates. All of their focus was on each other.

 

Ryan lunged abruptly and Meg was pushed back, startled as her back bumped against the railing. He crowded her, not giving her the space to move to either side. He feinted high, then swept the blade low. Without missing a beat, she leapt up over the sword and onto the railing, only needing a fraction of a second to steady herself. Whilst giving her some room, it left her in a precarious position without very far to go as far as escape routes went. She danced lightly over to a section of rigging, parrying a strike as Ryan followed after her. Gripping onto the rope of the rigging for balance, Meg swung her legs out, aiming a kick at his temple. He ducked just in time, her boots whistling over his head.

 

Her momentum carried her towards the railing on the other side of the rigging, so he slashed at the rope as he straightened. Several strands were sliced through and the rigging sagged, throwing off Meg's balance. Her feet hit the railing and she let go of the ropes, wobbling for a moment but not falling.

 

He was suddenly beside her again, hilt of his cutlass slamming down on her sword arm. Crying out in pain, her fingers sprang open, sword dropping and clattering to the deck.

 

Then Ryan leaned back and kicked Meg's legs from under her.

 

She tried to grab at his shoulders to stop herself from falling, but he'd moved himself out of range. With an indignant shout, she toppled overboard, her hat fluttering down after her. She hit the water with a splash.

 

Some of the  _Maria_ 's crew saw what happened and panicked at the sight of their captain going overboard, but the majority were still locked in combat with no realisation of what had just transpired.

 

The din of the fighting and the fire masked the sound of Meg clawing her way back to the surface, surging strongly through the water. She'd always thought that seafaring folk that didn't know how to swim were idiots. With grim determination, she made her way to the ship's side, grabbing onto the netted rope there and grabbing hold. Water streamed from her clothes, weighing her down, but she ignored the fact and hauled herself upwards.

 

Ryan probably thought that she was out the fight now, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Even though her sword was somewhere on the deck, she had almost half a dozen small knives on her person, and they could kill a man just as easily as a proper sword.

 

Because she was going to kill him. He'd underestimated her, and he was going to pay for it with his life.

 

She paused to pull one of the blades from inside her coat, holding it blade out as she resumed her climb. A savage smile played on her lips at the prospect of spilling the other captain's blood.

 

Suddenly, there was a deafening explosion. The ship lurched drunkenly, water roiling under the hull. The planks there were shattered, seawater rushing into the lower holds and beginning to claim the ship.

 

The fire had reached the  _Maria's_ gunpowder stores and blown a hole in her side.

 

Meg had finally finished her climb up the side of the ship, clothes wet and heavy and clinging to her awkwardly as she went. She'd just managed to get one hand onto the railing when the ship had tilted unsteadily, and she let out an enraged shriek as she was once again flung clear, losing her knife in the process. The mast cracked and groaned, toppling to one side. The ship tilted again as it snapped free, falling in a tangle of wood and rope and sail. Meg dove to avoid the falling debris, and the mast missed her by inches, leaving her to struggle free of ropes and the fabric of the sails.

 

Their enemy crippled, and already having gotten what they came for, Ryan's crew scrambled back to the  _Huntress_ , fending off the female pirates that followed in a desperate attempt to escape their sinking ship. They were repelled, leaving them to fall into the sea, or to find something on the deck of their doomed ship that would enable them to stay afloat when she was inevitably dragged under.

 

It only took a few seconds more. Fire continued to burn on almost every available dry piece of wood and canvas, but the majority of the  _Ruby Maria_ was making its way to the sea floor.

 

Meg gasped as her head broke the surface of the water, her coat abandoned after she'd decided that it was weighing her down too much. She groped blindly around for a piece of flotsam that she could cling onto, managing a strained smile as hands guided her towards a large section of the shattered hull bobbing in the water before her. She swiped her hair out of her eyes, glaring up at the  _Huntress_. Her eyes landed on the smug figure standing by the wheel and her eyes blazed with hatred.

 

"This isn't over, Haywood!" she screamed, her hair clinging soddenly to her cheeks and her forehead. Lindsay and Barbara floated beside her, identical expressions of fury etched on their faces.

 

"It is for today," he called back, waving the map at her with a grin. "Until next time!" He turned, sauntering to the main deck, where the rest of the crew were cheering and jeering at the stranded pirates. He beckoned two of the men over. "Lower a skiff for the ladies, leave them an oar. We may be pirates, but we can still be gentlemen as well." They nodded, moving quickly to obey their captain.

 

Michael walked up beside him, arms folded. "You should just let them drown," he muttered as they moved back towards the helm.

 

"That's not very sporting of you," Ryan replied with a grin. "This chase has been some of the most fun I've had in years, it would be poor form to let the ones responsible die, when I could easily make sure they live to fight us again another day. Besides, they did the same for us in our first encounter."

 

The first mate shook his head as Ryan shouted out orders and the ship got underway, watching as the gradually diminishing figures of the female pirates swam for the skiff floating towards them. "You're insane, you  _do_  know that, right?"

 

"The world would be a far less interesting place if I weren't."

 

Michael snorted. "I think you're overestimating the impact you have."

 

"And I think you're greatly underestimating it." The captain smiled serenely, eyes on the horizon. "Now, let's go get that treasure. I'm feeling the need for an extravagant and ludicrously expensive celebration."


End file.
